Airen stood amidst the carnage, katana dripping crimson, the forest floor painted red with the remains of twenty wolves. His chest rose and fell, but not from fatigue—only excitement.
"Now…" He exhaled, lowering his weapon slightly. "Time to clean this mess."
One by one, the mangled corpses vanished into his inventory, dissolving into faint glows as they disappeared from the bloody ground. When the last one was stored, the clearing was strangely silent, as if nature itself was holding its breath.
Airen turned, walking deeper into the forest.
That was when he noticed something odd.
A small figure hopped between the grass blocks.
"…A rabbit?"
But not just any rabbit. His eyes widened—the creature was cubic.
Its body, ears, and even fluffy tail were block-shaped, but still unnervingly lifelike. Each cubic edge gleamed with fine detail: fur etched like tiny textures, its nose twitching, eyes glimmering like black gems.No—it was as if someone had taken a real rabbit and reshaped it into a blocky form, yet kept all the realism intact.
Airen crouched slightly, muttering under his breath. "System… it looks so detailed even though it's cubic."
[ What did you expect? A crude blocky thing without detail? This is reality. Creatures here—cubic or not—retain natural traits. The form may be geometric, but life is life. ]
Airen chuckled. "Tch. I thought it would be… less detailed. But damn, this is fascinating."
The rabbit froze as his gaze lingered on it. Then, with a sudden hop, it darted away into the brush.
Airen didn't bother chasing it. He simply smirked. "This world really is something else… even made of blocks, it still feels alive."
He pressed forward.
Minutes passed, trees thinning with every step. The oppressive shadows of the forest gave way to light—until suddenly, the trees ended.
Airen stopped at the edge.
Before him stretched a wide, flat plain.
The ground was a seamless spread of grass blocks, their surfaces glowing faintly under the sun. Flowers sprouted across the land—some perfectly cubic, others shockingly natural, petals swaying in colors of scarlet, gold, and sky-blue. The mixture of blocky geometry and natural shapes created a surreal beauty, like a painting caught between two worlds.
And beyond it…
A colossal mountain rose, jagged cliffs of stone blocks stacked upon one another, yet with veins of green moss flowing down its sides. At its peak, snow glimmered faintly, white blocks shining under the sun. From one of the slopes, a river poured forth, cascading down in a glowing stream of cubic water, flowing endlessly across the plains, its surface reflecting shards of sunlight like scattered diamonds.
The sound of rushing water carried across the land, calm yet powerful.
Airen stood frozen, the katana hanging loosely at his side. His lips parted slightly.
"Wow…"
The word slipped out naturally.
For the first time since arriving, he wasn't grinning, wasn't hungry for EXP, wasn't bloodthirsty. He simply looked, letting the surreal view sink into him.
After a moment, his eyes narrowed toward the looming mountain.
""So beyond that mountain… is the River Crossing."
His grip on the katana tightened as he took a step forward. The hunt wasn't over—
Suddenly, his eyes snapped open.
The ceiling above was not sky, but plaster. His body lay sprawled across a hotel bed.
"…I woke up? But no one disturbed me."
[ That's not how it works, Airen. Your body wakes up naturally once it's fully rested. It's already 10 AM—you've been asleep for over 12 hours. ]
Airen clicked his tongue. "Damn… so if I make myself tired, I can force sleep again, right?"
[ Correct. If your body is exhausted, you'll fall asleep faster. ]
A smirk tugged his lips. He stored his katana back into inventory and rolled his shoulders.
"I know how to get tired."
Dropping to the floor, he began pushups.
"Ten… one hundred… five hundred…"
The count rose. Sweat beaded on his brow, but his muscles didn't burn.
"Two thousand… five thousand… seven thousand… ten thousand."
He finally stopped, sitting cross-legged on the floor, irritation flashing across his face.
"…Why the hell am I not getting tired?"
[ Because you've gotten stronger. Your stamina isn't the same as before. ]
Airen growled softly. "So what now?"
The system's voice came again:
[ The next time you sleep and enter the cubic world, look for a circular item engraved with the infinity symbol. It's rare, but it will let you extend your time ratio. ]
"Ratio?"
[ Currently, one hour of sleep here equals one hour in the cubic world. With this item, you can increase that—two hours, three hours, or more. Each piece adds one extra hour. ]
Airen clenched his fists. "Why didn't you tell me this before?"
[ …I intended to reveal things gradually. ]
"Damn it." His jaw tightened. "And if I collect enough of these items?"
[ With one hundred, you'll gain full access. You'll be able to enter and exit the cubic world at will—no need for natural sleep. A feature will appear in your system: Enter Cubic World and Leave Cubic World. ]
Airen's eyes lit up. "So I can jump between worlds freely…"
[ Correct. People in that world call these items Godfallen Pieces. They also have another effect—if crushed, they grant one more day of life. That's why they're hidden in underground dungeons, dimensional portals, noble vaults, and royal treasuries. ]
Airen leaned back against the bed, eyes narrowed in thought.
"So this world has dungeons and portals."
A dangerous smile curved across his lips.
"I guess my real hunt starts now."